beekman



s Sheets-Sheet 1.

(No Model.)

G. BEEKMAN. 7 MOWING MACHINE. No. 509,285.

Patented Nov. 21,- 1893.

WITNESSES:

INVENTOR v ATIONAL umoeurnlma OOMPAIIY ASHINGYON. B4 c.

(N0 Mddel.)

3 Sheets-Sheet 2. G. BEEKMAN. MOWING MACHINE.

No. 509,285. Patented Nov. 21, 1893.

1 l7 o 10 z n ,4: r 4 I 2/ 4/ l 46 I6 I 48 44 23 4 j WITNESSES: EINVENTOR ATTORNEY (No Model.) 7 3 Sheets-Sheet 3. G. BEEKMAN.

MOWING MACHINE. No. 509,285. Patented Nov. 21,1893.

WITNESSES: INVENTOR ATTORNEY UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GERARD BEEKMAN, o Ew YORK, N. Y.

MOWING-MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 509,285, dated November21, 1893.

Application filed July 18, 1892. Serial No. 4401 To all whom it mayconcern:

Be 1t known that I, GERARD BEEKMAN, a cltizen of the United States,residing in the city, county, and State of New York,have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements in Mowing-Machines, of which thefollowing is a specification.

My invention relates to rear cut mowing machines in which the cutter baris flexibly jointed to the frame of the machine to render 1t movable andadjustable with reference to the ground;and said invention is applicablein its chief features to any suitable or well known form of cuttingmechanism.

The objects of my invention are to concentrate the parts; to facilitatethe manipulation of the machine; andto promote the safety of theoperator.

To these ends my invention consists in a machlne embodying certainvarious novel characteristics such as are hereinafter fully describedand pointed out in the appended claims.

Referring to the accompanying drawings in which similar characters ofreference indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views:Figure 1, is a perspective view looking from the rear of the machine;Fig. 2, a plan View taken partly in horizontal section on the line 00,a), Fig. 1; Fig. 3, an interior face view of the gear wheelsillustrating their connections;

and Fig. 4, a detail view illustrating a part of the mechanlsm used forthrowing the cutting devices Into or out of driven connection with thetraction wheel of the machine. Fig. 5, is

a detail sectional View; and Fig. 6, an interior face view of flexibleshaft coupling herein'employed.

My invention is illustrated herewith as embodied in a single tractionwheel machine, al-

though not so limited; parts of the same being capable of adaptation tothe employment of two traction wheels.

'- A, represents a single traction wheel at one side of the machine; B,an idle supporting wheel at the opposite side of the machine; and G, theaxle which is non-rotary and com- ;prises the main bar of the frame.

(N0 model.)

chine is suitably connected, but may be automatically disconnected ashereinafter described. p

The traction wheel A, turns freely upon the axle C, and is constructedof a hollow. shell inclosing the speed gearing of the machine. The wall2, closing the inner side of the shell is stationary, being fixed byitshub 3, to the axle C, and the said stationary wall 2, composes aframe upon which certain parts of the gearing within are mounted.

4, represents the cutter support-ing bar; and 5, the shaft of thecutter. For convenience I illustrate herein a rotary shaft 5. The cuttersupporting bar 4', is flexiblyjointed in line with the axis 6, 6, to theyoke of the arm or inafter described, without interference by suchdraft.

The traction wheel A, is provided at its interior with a circumferentialrack 9,and this rack 9 propels the spur gear 12, by the agency ofatransmitting gear 10, pivoted on a stationary gudgeon 11. The spur gear12, is concentrio with and turns freelyabout the axle O.

Interposed between theaxle O, and the spur gear 12, there is a rotarysleeve 13, which also turns freely, and bears a spur gear 14,having aninternally toothed rim. The extremity of the shaft 8, which is supportedin thestationary plate 2, bears a pinion15, driven from the internallytoothed spur gear 14.

Connection is established or interrupted between the gears 12 and 14, bymeansof the clutch 16, composed of a series of separable interlockingteeth on the adjacent faces-of the said gear 12, and the hub of saidgear 14; and the said gear 12, is capable of retraction longitudinallyupon the sleeve 13, in orderto effect a separation of the saidinterlocking teeth. A spring 17, is provided to hold. the interlockingteeth together, and the said teeth are moreover-beveled so as to formratchets as indicated in Fig. 4, and thus cause rotation to betransmitted through the clutch in one direction only, and thereby permitthe backing of the machine without actuating the cutter; the beveledteeth disengaging au tomatlcally by compression of the said spring 17,and the sliding of the grooved hub of the wheel 12 on the sleeve 13. Thegear 12, is

provided with a circumferential groove at 18,

and within this groove the extremities of a yoke 19, are fitted so as tocarry the gear 12 longitudinally with it when retracted by an angularmotion from the position shown. The groove 18 should be wide enough toallow play for the yoke 19, when the cutter bar 1s lowered to the groundfor cutting, in order to lnsure theautomatic action of the ratchet teeth16 as described, and yet allow the actlon of the yoke in disengaging.the gearing when the shaft 20 is rotated. For this purpose the yoke 19approximates theinner side of the wide groove 18 at all times, except inthe automatic action of the ratchet teeth 16 when the machine isbacked-Fig. 4. The yoke 19, is caused to move by the partial rotation ofthe operating shaft 20. As a most convenient means of imparting thedesired motion I illustrate the hilt of the yokelQ, provlded with asleeve, and the extremity of the shaft 20 provided with an oblique wristfitting to rotate freely within such sleeve so as to move the latter andthe said yoke into different angular positions by the partial rotationof said shaft.

21, is a hand lever for operating the shaft 20; and 22 a suitableratchet for retaining the lever 21, in any desired position by means ofits pawl 22'.

23 is a fixed bracket projecting from the axle C, supporting the shaft20.

The drag bar 7, bearing the cutter is mounted upon the axle O turningfreely thereon. The sleeve 24, of the drag bar is provided with atoothed segment 25, with which a pinion 26, fixed to the operating shaft20, engages, so as to determine the posltion of such drag bar, and thevertical distance of the inner end of the cutter support-- ing bar 4,from the ground accordingly, by the ad ustment of the hand lever 21.

30, is a flexible shaft for establishing rota-' tive connection betweenthe extremity of the operating shaft 20, and the trunnion of the cutterbar having a bearing 31 in the yoke of the drag bar. By means of theoperating shaft 20 and flexible shaft 30 the cutter bar may thus also beraised atits outer extremity 1n an are about the axis 6, 6, by the samemotion of the lever 21 which actuates the inner end of such cutter bar,whereby the machine is thrown out of gear; the two motions occurring smultaneously. The flexible shaft 30 is composed of a coiled spring andpossesses torsional resiliency, the degree of which is determined by theadjustment of the interlocking disks 32, 33, upon one another, which maybe retained in position by means of a set screw or other suitable'means.An additional function is thereby assigned to the shaft 30, ofcounteracting the weight of the cutter bar while the latter isdepressed,and

causing it to pass freely over the irregularities of the ground when themachine is in motion. I

The seat E, for the operator is supported by its arm 40, upon a crossbar 41 supported in bearings 42, 43, and part of the weight of the seatis received by a heel 44, resting on the axle G. A pawl 45 is providedto retain the seat in position if desired. \Vhen the pawl 45, is indisuse, the draft device D, of the machine will become automaticallydetached by the draft of the horses or other power in event of theoperator being accidentally unseated. To this purpose the extremities ofthe cross-bar 41 are provided with hooks 46, fitting the loops or holes47, in the draft device D. The latter has roarwardly projecting yokes48, 49, which fit the axle O, or surrounding parts thereof, at eitherside of the frame, and in cooperation with the hooks 46, 46, hold thedraft device D. in rigid connection with the machine as long as the seatE is in normal position. Should the rider accidentally become unssatedwhile the machine is cutting, the draft upon the sh aft D counteractedby the back draft of the machine will be sufficientto draw the hooks46,46, forward in opposition to the weight of the empty seat E, raisingthe latter and causing the said hooks to become disengaged by theturning of the cross-bar 41 on its longitudinal axis, thereby reversingthe.

said hooks and causing them to point forward, thus releasing connectionbetween the draft device and the machine, allowing the latter to stand.

The action upon the various parts of the machine incidental to movingthe lever .21,

is as follows: The eifect of the first motion backward of the lever 21,and its shaft 20, corresponding to the direction of the arrow 50, is toraise the outer end of the cutter supporting bar 4, and the inner endthereof simultaneously, but at different rates of speed from the ground;the innerend rising much less rapidly than the outer end. The clutchyoke 19, should be angularly so connected with the shaft 20, as to throwthe machine out of gear by the rotation of the shaft 20 before the lever21 shall have caused the upward angular movement of the cuttersupporting bar 4, so far as to render transmission of rotation throughjoint 19, impracticable. The continued motion of the lever 21 causes thecutter supporting bar 4, to be raisedupward and forward to an extremeposition by the combined motions imparted through the flexible shaft 30,and the pinion 26; the said outter bar moving on the axis 6, 6, and theaxis of the axle 0, simultaneously, until it assumes a positionparallel, or nearly so, with the length of the machine, bringing theparts into suitable proximity for convenient ship: ment, ortransportation to and from the field. The angular motion of the shaft 8is permitted when the drag bar 7 is raised by means of a flexible shaftcoupling 50, which appears more-fully in detail in Figs. 5 and 6. Saidcoupling is composed of a box 51 attached to one part of the shaft, anda hub 52 attached to the otherpart of the shaft, and projected looselythrough an opening of the box, whereby lateral play is' prevented. Thebox and hub are connected together through the agency of a flat helicalspring 53, which, by its-construction shown, is adapted for rotativerigidity while offering non-resistance to lateral motions when themovable part 8 of the shaft is bent upward or downward and moved inwardor outward by reason of the simultaneous rotation of the universal joint19 around the axis 6, 6, and O. The shell 2and the outer face of thewheel A, may be radially corrugated to insure stiffness and lightness ofconstruction.

Having thus fully described my invention, what Iclaim, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent,-is

release the draft device from the hook, by the raising of the seat.

3. In a' mowing machine, the combination of a'cutter supporting bartrunnioned on the machine, a cutter and means for operating the same, atorsional spring connected at one end to the trunnion of the cuttersupporting bar, and provided at the other end with an adjustable leverand means for retaining the same, substantially as described.

4. In a mowing machine, the combination of a cutter supporting bartrunnioned tothe machine, and a torsional spring connected to the cuttersupporting bar in the axis thereof for counter-balancing it, and meansfor twisting the said spring so as to raise the cutter bar about itsaxis at will throughthe agency of said spring, substantially asdescribed.

5. In a mowing machine, the combination of a cutter supportingbartrunnioned upon an axis'longitudinal to the machine, and movableabout an axis transverse to the machine removed from the said cuttersupportingbar, with a toothed segment and a pinion for raisin g saidcutter bar about said transverse axis,

a spring shaft for raising the said cutter bar 7 I about saidlongitudinal axis, and a lever for actuating said segment and pinion andspring shaft simultaneously, substantially as described. 7

6. In a mowing machine, the combination of a cutter supporting bartrunnioned upon an axis longitudinal to the machine, and an arm movableupon an axis transverse to the machine in front of the cutter supportingbar,

with a toothed sector attached to the arm, and a lifting shaft andpinion thereonengagr ing with said sector, a flexible shaft connectingthe lifting shaft with the trunnion of the cutter supporting bar, and alever having a rotatingv device for moving the cutter bar upon thesaid'longitudinal and transverse" axes simultaneously and supporting.the same when so moved, substantially as'described.

7. In a mowing machine, they combination with a movable cuttersupporting bar and a movable rotary shaft for driving a cutter',,of ashaft journaled in a fixed bearing, and a coupling consisting of aboxing on one of said shafts and a hub on the other of said shafts andprojected loosely through an opening in said box, and a helical springattached at its extremities to said boxing and hub, substant-ially asspecified. V v

GERARD BEEKMAN.

Witnesses:

EUGENE LUCAS, H. F. PARKER.

